Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) - News

Global safety equipment manufacturer MSA Safety Incorporated announced it has acquired U.K.-based Bristol Uniforms (“Bristol”) in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $60 million. The acquisition strengthens MSA's position as a global provider of fire service PPE products while providing an avenue to expand its business in the U.K. and key European markets. Headquartered in Bristol, U.K., Bristol Uniforms is a renowned innovator and provider of protective apparel to the f...

MSA Safety Incorporated announced it has acquired U.K.-based Bristol Uniforms in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $60 million. The acquisition strengthens MSA's position as a front-runner in fire service PPE products while providing an avenue to expand its business in the U.K. and key European markets. Headquartered in Bristol, U.K., Bristol Uniforms is a foremost innovator and provider of protective apparel to the fire and rescue services sector, with annual revenue of approxima...

Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) have been recognized nationally for its response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, SFRS was praised for its positive contributions to the local community and commitment to the welfare of its staff. In August 2020, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) was commissioned by the UK Home Secretary to examine how fire and rescue services are responding to the pandemic. Effective command and control frameworks...

The end of a challenging year is worth celebrating and so is Twiceme's second anniversary. The last year was difficult for many, while surprisingly promising for a few. Although it was far from the year, Twiceme hoped for on a humanitarian level, new learnings were gathered and adjustments were made, which will result in new opportunities in 2021. Twiceme Technology’s journey towards becoming a global standard of accessible vital info faced several obstacles in early 2020, however, these...

A national inspection has praised the response of South Yorkshire’s fire service to the COVID-19 pandemic. South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue adapted to the pandemic effectively, carried on delivering its core services and provided additional support to the community during the first phase of the pandemic. Inspectors also found that staff well-being was made a clear priority for the service and praised senior pioneers for actively promoting well-being services, in a report published b...

HMICFRS has outlined its key findings in a report which covers how the Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Staff stepped up to support the communities and partners during the pandemic. As a service Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Staff welcomes the opportunity to consider any lessons learned from the inspection. They will review the areas for consideration identified by HMICFRS as they continue to support the staff and partners, whilst trying to ensure the communities safety during these challenging time...

With distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine accelerating around the globe, hopes are high that society can reclaim a sense of pre-pandemic normalcy in the coming months. Organizations may look to call many of their remote workers back to physical buildings as the vaccine rollout continues. However, there are unique new challenges to in-person work in a post-pandemic world, as organizations who have maintained in-person workforces can attest. Managing an in-person workforce in 2021 Marc Bognar,...

Following significant requests from customers, Apollo Fire Detectors have expanded their portfolio of free webinars and virtual CPD’s. In order to continue providing its training service throughout the national lockdown, Apollo released a selection of over 15 virtual courses in May 2020. The courses have been a huge success with thousands of attendees from over 30 countries taken advantage of the weekly sessions. Due to this success, and COVID-19 restrictions being in place once again in...

The pandemic has made it difficult to predict demand from one month to the next, when it comes to field service engineering. This makes the flexibility of employing contractors even more attractive. In Autumn 2020, STANLEY Security Solutions approached the Zitko contracts team with a considerable challenge: resource a group of 8 – 10 contractors to support the company’s operations in various UK regions. The requirement was for an immediate start and the specification was strict: mul...

Firefighting kit has a number of functions. It protects crew members in a wide range of situations and makes them instantly recognizable in an emergency. Replacing the firefighting kit at the right time keeps fire firefighters and rescue personnel safe and comfortable, no matter what the emergency. Call outs for firefighters  According to the UK Home Office, in the last year, 28 per cent of call-outs for firefighters and rescue staff involved responding to fires, 42 per cent of call outs...

Artificial intelligence and journalistic expertise are the basis of a disinformation detection system developed and implemented in a collaboration between press relations, NewsGuard, and the Fraunhofer Institute for Communication, Information Processing, and Ergonomics FKIE. First use case A qualitative analysis of media coverage of the 2020 US election. The analysis reveals that Donald Trump’s media dominance over his challenger Joe Biden was due primarily to the spread of fake news and...

Rapidrop is the UK manufacturer and supplier of fire sprinkler system products serving the needs of the fire detection and suppression industry worldwide. From their headquarters in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, Rapidrop manufacture fire sprinkler heads to suit commercial applications. Now exporting to over 75 countries’, Rapidrop provides tailored solutions and dedicated support from a worldwide sales and distribution network. They are proud to have been involved in many prestigious cons...

The CPD will be hosted on Zoom and will be available to anyone who wishes to get a greater understanding of fire curtains and when and where a fire curtain can be specified within the build environment. The CPD seminars are designed for architects and other construction professionals across the specification chain. The seminars are FREE to attend and they usually require about one hour to present the Active Fire Curtain Barriers CPD seminar, which includes approximately 15 minutes for a Q&A...

With the UK continuing its battle against COVID-19, businesses everywhere are facing the unenviable task of ensuring virus-free workplaces for staff and customers alike. For this reason, HI-KLEEN from Hi-line Industries has been proving exceptionally popular since its introduction in the summer of 2020. To help even more companies benefit from this highly effective surface sanitizer for commercial premises, Hi-line has produced a short but highly informative video that demonstrates the product&...

As the rollout of COVID-19 vaccinations begins around the country, Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) continues to offer support to the health sector during the pandemic. Having already seen staff from various parts of the Service helping with training new ambulance drivers, supporting the community hubs and working as ambulance drivers, CFRS is now offering its support with the vaccination program. Chief Fire Officer Chris Strickland said: "The pandemic has been such a challenging t...

The Agility team is proud to announce the addition of All Hands Fire as their first exclusive authorized dealer for the New York and New Jersey areas. FirstLook360 camera systems All Hands Fire is a premier fire department equipment supplier providing the latest innovative equipment for police departments, government agencies, firefighters, EMTs, and EMS personnel. We’re excited to have All Hands Fire on board supporting the sales and marketing of their FirstLook360 camera systems for t...

Hunter supports Firefighter Cancer Awareness Month currently being promoted internationally, and the efforts being made across the UK and Ireland to improve the future long-term health outcomes for our firefighters. Recent ground-breaking research revealed the serious health risks to UK firefighters following exposure to toxic fire effluents, the chemicals emitted during a fire, in an independent University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) report commissioned by the Fire Brigades Union (FBU). The...

Packexe were awarded a Royal Warrant in 2016 for supplying Packexe protection film to the royal household and last year, the company added a Queens Award for Enterprise to their name. Recognized in the category of innovation for their time critical glass management tool, Packexe SMASH, Packexe have been supplying emergency teams across the globe with their innovative extrication tool for the last decade. Packexe SMASH Packexe SMASH is designed to hold glass securely in place, reducing the ris...

The National Fire Chiefs Council has released a range of updated risk assessments which will allow fire-fighters and other staff to continue work on COVID-related activities – while taking on more. To support this, 10,000 lateral flow tests a week will be provided by the government to fire services, meaning up to 5,000 fire-fighters could soon be supporting the UK-wide vaccination program underway. These tests will help keep firefighters who are undertaking vital COVID work safer –...

BSI has been informed by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) that it is an Approved Body (0086) for the UKCA marking; this new marking is required for placing relevant regulated products on the market in England, Scotland and Wales from 1 January 2021. BSI will also continue to be a Notified Body for the Northern Ireland market. The UKCA mark replaces CE marking in Great Britain (GB) countries, although CE marking will continue to be recognized for products being...

The global smart PPE technology market size is projected to reach USD 7.70 billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 15.9% during the forecast period. Growing utilization of Industry 4.0 technologies in developing personal protective equipment (PPE) will be a game-changer for this market, finds Fortune Business Insights™ in its report, titled “Smart PPE Technology Market Size, Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Product Type (Smart Safety Gloves, Smart Shoes, Smart Eyewea...

The new Detention Center in Crawford County, Arkansas has raised the bar when it comes to Life Safety measures. The new Crawford County Justice Center was built due to alarming overcrowding issues that endangered the safety of the inmates and staff. The new 307 bed facility is now a beacon of safety, especially when it comes to Life Safety & Fire Protection. Installing Life Safety system In February of 2018, The Association of Builders and Contractors of Arkansas awarded American Fire Prot...

Birmingham-based business successfully ramps up during the global pandemic and is set to go from strength to strength in 2021, rewarding its dedicated team with a generous wage increase and Christmas bonus. Amid coronavirus pandemic reports of companies making heavy redundancies there is one good news story to emerge from the West Midlands. Zicam Integrated Security Limited has not only managed to avoid redundancies and furloughing staff but has flourished in the last nine months to achieve a f...

Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) is on a mission to encourage the people of Kent and Medway to help keep hydrants healthy in their local area. Located all over the county, fire hydrants provide firefighters with access to a steady flow of water to fight fires. They are used by crews whenever they need more water than they’re able to carry on fire engines, and can be a vital asset for firefighters. However, if they’re ever damaged or obscured, it could waste valuable minutes for c...

Innovative manufacturer of fire detection equipment, Global Fire Equipment (GFE), has added to its product portfolio with the launch of G-One, a versatile addressable single loop fire control panel with advanced connectivity. The G-One has been designed with affordability and flexibility in mind. Thanks to its sophisticated design, easy installation, and intuitive commissioning, it is an ideal solution for a wide range of single loop applications, from offices and restaurants, to shops, schools...

MSA Safety Incorporated, the pioneer in the development, manufacture, and supply of safety products that protect people and facility infrastructures announced that Kenneth Krause, Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Treasurer will present at the CJS 21st Annual New Ideas for the New Year Virtual Conference on January 13, 2021, from 3:45 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. E.T. This event will be webcast live and can be accessed on the MSA website. Following the presentation, a replay will be...

First responder radio signal and communications can be significantly impacted by building construction, building size, and other factors. Because of that, it is important that emergency personnel have the ability to communicate in the event of an emergency. The good news is that there is a solution! Bi-Directional Amplification (BDA) Bi-Directional Amplification (BDA) is an Emergency Radio Communication System that provides reliable communication radio transmissions between first responders in...

It is safe to say that water is vital to the existence on this planet. What was once in abundant supply is now being rationed due to the growth of the populous; therefore making it crucial to protect what resources one has as best they can. In the fire protection industry, one must do their part to protect the water supply. The most sensible way, at present, is through a Backflow Protection Program. An ever-growing number of cities and small towns are requiring approved backflow preventers to b...

The American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) is proud to announce a new online learning platform offering 24/7 access to CEUs and/or CPDs from AFSA educational events, including live webinars. AFSA On-Demand offers fire sprinkler contractors and other professionals the access to the best in specialty education anytime. AFSA On-Demand Featuring the most sought-after thought leaders in fire protection, AFSA On-Demand offers a superior learning experience in a unique and user-friendly format. M...

The Bundeswehr plans to equip its infantry with unmanned ground vehicles for the transport of material and weapons. It has tested various off-the-shelf systems in a variety of operational scenarios as part of two troop exercises. The Fraunhofer FKIE provided technical and scientific support for the tests. The results demonstrate the high potential of unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) and the level of maturity they have already attained. The conclusion among soldiers and experts was unanimous: the...